Formerly known as "Just A Kiss." If you want to familiarize yourself with this story before reading, please go take a look at "Shorts," a book with short stories based on and inspired by songs. "Loving him was easy. Learning to love herself was the real story." Let's follow Karmine, a young woman trying to make sense of who she's becoming while facing the realities of her upbringing. From schoolhouse drama and dealing with abandonment to the quiet battles she fights within herself, Karmine had to grow up quickly-learned to wear strength like armor. But then there's him-the one person who's always there, no matter how messy things get. Him, his presence, are reminders that she doesn't have to face everything alone. He loves her loudly even when the world is silent. Love isn't just about grand gestures, but about the quiet moments that remind you you're still worth living. Karmine begins to see that healing doesn't always mean being unbroken. As she learns to open up and find her place in the world, she discovers that growing up simply means learning to love yourself just as loudly as someone else loves you.

Persephone Vivienne Devereaux was the perfect wife. She gave her husband everything-her time, her love, her entire life. She built her world around him, making sure his ran smoothly even when hers was falling apart. So why was it never enough? Why was his attention always somewhere else... with other women? Now she's left questioning her marriage, her worth, and the life she sacrificed to maintain. Kassian "Hollow" Sinclair is a name that stays on repeat-on playlists, in headlines, and on the lips of women who swear they're different. At just 25, he's already living a life most can't touch-money long, fame loud, and an ego to match. He's smooth, calculated, and dangerously charming... the type to pull you in without ever giving you enough to feel secure. Music is his escape, but control is his addiction. And women? They don't just want him... they lose themselves trying to keep him. Until her. Persephone is cold, boujee, and completely unimpressed. She doesn't care about his fame, his money, or his name-and for the first time in his life... Kassian isn't in control. What starts as curiosity turns into obsession. Lust turns reckless, boundaries disappear, and lines that should never be crossed get blurred. Because behind her perfect image is a woman starving for something real... and behind his fame is a man who only knows how to take. Secrets build. Feelings get involved. And now it's no longer just temptation-it's betrayal. When it all falls apart... who gets hurt first? And was it ever love... or just a beautiful lie? WARNING: Mature content, strong language, infidelity, toxic relationships, and explicit scenes. Read at your own risk.

She's used to being the punchline. He's ready to burn down the theater. Journee Doyle has perfected the art of invisibility. As a plus-size woman in a world obsessed with size zero, she knows her role: be the funny friend, the hard worker, and the one who takes every insult with a smile. By day, she's a ghost. By night, she waits tables at the prestigious Nocturne Crown Hotel, serving Manhattan's elite while trying to forget she exists. Until the night she can't. A backhanded compliment from a billionaire guest and a "clumsy" spill of red wine by a jealous waitress leave Journee humiliated in a room full of people who refuse to look her in the eye. She flees, thinking it's just another scar to hide. She's wrong. Someone was looking. Andrés Morales-the elusive, ruthless CEO of the Nocturne Crown empire. A man who rules New York from the shadows. To him, Journee isn't invisible. She is inevitable. Andrés saw the insult. He saw the tears she tried to hide. And when he rewinds the security tape, his fascination snaps into a dark, primal obsession. He doesn't just want to comfort her; he wants to ruin anyone who ever made her feel small. When a custom gown arrives at her doorstep, sent to an unlisted address, Journee realizes this is no fairy tale. It's a hunt. She thinks he's playing a cruel game. She thinks a man like him could never want a woman like her. So she runs. But she's forgetting one thing: Andrés Morales owns the city. And he loves a chase. He doesn't want her to fit into his world. He's reshaping the world to fit her.

Prologue Dr. Kiana James had stitched up broken bodies, restarted failing hearts, and held dying hands - but nothing had prepared her for surviving the slow, silent destruction of her own life. For three years, she hid bruises beneath her scrubs and fear beneath her smile. Her boyfriend, Marcus, a man who charmed everyone but her, had become a storm she lived inside. Every slammed door, every raised voice taught her to shrink - even though she was a woman who took up space beautifully. A brilliant, plus-size Black doctor with ambition, curves, and warmth that could light an entire hospital wing - she deserved more. And one night, she finally ran.

He left her to protect his bloodline. Now his bloodline is the one thing that could destroy him. Years ago, Amari Grant fell for Luca Moretti - heir to one of the most feared mafia families in Italy. He was her forbidden love, her undoing, and her heartbreak. When his family forced him to choose between his legacy and the woman he loved, Luca walked away... never knowing she was carrying his child. Amari built a new life in silence. She raised their son alone, far from Luca's world of guns and loyalty oaths. Now happily married and thriving. But secrets don't stay buried forever. When word of the boy reaches Luca's enemies, the unthinkable happens - her son is taken. Desperate and out of options, Amari does the last thing she ever thought she would: she goes back to Luca. The man who shattered her heart is now her only hope. When Luca learns the truth - that the child he's being asked to protect is his own - everything he's built starts to crumble. His marriage. His empire. His control. Now the ruthless don will burn the world to find his son and protect him... and the woman who still owns his heart. But rescuing them means war - and in the mafia, love is the deadliest weakness of all.

A sudden Dragon appearance awakens a prophecy. The search for the tribute begins. The Orc/Human hybrid Zoraya Os'raki has no time for prophetic non-sense with a family of siblings to feed. Until the dragon picks her, and all she's ever known changes forever.

Marc'Qwuan Reid is a 23 year hopeless romantic with a crush on his roommate, a woman named Jasmine. Their friendship was perfect until she took her first steps into getting over her ex. Now they notice new things about each other that puts their friendship to the test.

Milan Harper Brooks, 21, is in her junior year at Kingston A&M University, still recovering from a nasty breakup that left her guarded and done with love. After everything she went through last school year, she made herself a promise: no more distractions, no more getting attached, and definitely no more men. Her focus is on herself, her degree, and turning her junior year into something beautiful-starting with her space, her peace, and her future. Zion Avery Beaumont, 22, is a senior and the star basketball player of Kingston A&M University in Maribel, Georgia. Campus royalty with NBA dreams in his back pocket, Zion has only two goals on his mind: graduate and get drafted. Relationships were never part of the plan. Love was a risk he didn't have time for, and distractions could cost him everything he worked for. Neither of them were searching for anything more than survival and success. But when Milan unexpectedly captures the attention of the school's most treasured basketball star, it sends shockwaves through campus and sparks neither of them were prepared for. What starts as curiosity quickly turns into something deeper, something dangerous, something hard to walk away from. With fame comes pressure. With love comes risk. Can Milan handle Zion's world, the attention, the rumors, and the lifestyle that comes with loving a man everyone wants? Can Zion protect what they're building while chasing a future that could take him far from everything he knows? And when Milan's past refuses to stay buried, will love be enough to hold them together? Find out in Love Without a Safety Net by Tt_The_Bae

Nas 90s Short Story || Plus Size Urban 18+ Nas (25) & Shanel (24) Nas is a popular New York rapper and Shanel is a free spirited woman who comes from money. Shanel's life was simple and carefree in the most luxurious way, which caught Nas' attention at first glance.. But her personality didn't match her 'stuck up' appearance as some called it.. She was the most laidback and humble person you'd ever meet. All she wanted was to live her life to the fullest and the rapper she meets helps her do exactly that. (Kinda fast paced)

Fanum Fanfic || Urban Plus Size Couple 18+ Rob & Daysha **************** Rob lives most of his life online with his friends, streaming his daily routines, thoughts, and quiet moments to an audience that feels closer than his real world. Daysha lives differently-surrounded by her soft, pink Hello Kitty collection, finding comfort in the small things that make her happy. When their worlds collide, what starts as something simple turns into something steady. Together, they learn that love doesn't have to be loud or complicated-it can exist in late-night talks, shared silence, and the gentle feeling of finally being understood.